United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $35,946,562 (2023)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (competitive process)
Decision Time: Not publicly specified
Grant Range: $30,000 - $500,000 annually (Community Impact Grants)
Geographic Focus: Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, and southern Denton counties in Texas
Number of Awards: 310 grants made in 2023

Contact Details

Organization: United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Inc
EIN: 75-6005352
Website: https://unitedwaydallas.org
Application Portal: https://unitedwaydallas.smapply.io
Phone: (214) 978-0000
Primary Grant Contact: Cathy Lee, Senior Director of Community Impact Grants and Partnerships
Email: clee@unitedwaydallas.org

Overview

Founded in 1924, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas celebrated its centennial in 2024 as one of North Texas's most established philanthropic organizations. Under the leadership of Jennifer Sampson, who has served as McDermott-Templeton President & CEO since 2011, the organization distributed $35.9 million in grants to 310 organizations in 2023. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas operates with a strategic focus on creating systemic change through their Aspire United 2030 goals, targeting measurable improvements in education, income, and health outcomes for nearly 1.6 million North Texas residents. The organization has evolved from traditional charitable giving to a community impact model, using data-driven investment decisions and partnering with nonprofits, social entrepreneurs, and grassroots organizations best positioned to meet community needs. In recent years, United Way has emphasized racial equity and closing achievement gaps across their three core focus areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Impact Grants (3-year cycle): $30,000 - $500,000 annually

Awarded every three years to dozens of North Texas nonprofits
Current cycle: 2025-2028 (applications due February 6, 2025)
Competitive application process through online portal
144 partner organizations funded in most recent cycle
Fixed application deadlines (every three years)

Social Innovation Accelerator: $25,000 seed funding + up to $250,000 additional

Annual competitive program for social entrepreneurs
Guaranteed $25,000 seed funding for accepted fellows
Opportunity to compete at "The Pitch" for additional $250,000
Since 2013: 84 entrepreneurs completed program, $7+ million invested
Supports both nonprofit and for-profit social ventures
Rolling/annual basis

Toyota DRIVE Initiative: $500 - $2,500

Community grants for residents and groups in West Dallas
Smaller-scale neighborhood improvement projects
Rolling basis

Priority Areas

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas focuses exclusively on three interconnected impact areas aligned with their Aspire United 2030 goals:

Education

Goal: Increase by 50% the number of students reading on grade level by third grade by 2030
Early childhood education programs
K-12 academic support and tutoring
Programs addressing educational equity and closing racial achievement gaps

Income

Goal: Increase by 20% the number of North Texas young adults earning a living wage by 2030
Workforce development and job training
Financial literacy and asset building
Programs supporting economic mobility

Health

Goal: Increase to 96% the number of North Texans with access to affordable health care insurance by 2030
Health care access initiatives
Maternal health outcomes (priority area)
Mental health services
Health equity programs

Cross-Cutting Priorities:

Racial equity and closing racial achievement gaps
Measurable, data-driven outcomes
Systemic and transformational change
Programs serving Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, and southern Denton counties

What They Don't Fund

Explicit Exclusions:

Capital campaigns
Scholarship programs
Programs focused on evangelism
Projects with safety risks
Projects that unfairly exclude people
Programs outside their four-county service area
Organizations without 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsor

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Jennifer Sampson - McDermott-Templeton President & CEO (since 2011)

Long-tenured leader who has guided the organization's evolution toward the Aspire United 2030 strategic framework
Emphasized that United Way's goals target "the building blocks that enable citizens to lead productive lives — education, income and health"

Susan Hoff - Chief Strategy & Impact Officer

Cathy Lee - Senior Director of Community Impact Grants and Partnerships

Board of Directors (2024-2025)

Board Chair: Antonio Carrillo, President and CEO of Arcosa
Annual Campaign Chair: Steven Williams, CEO of PepsiCo Foods North America
Future Campaign Chair: Jim Burke, President and CEO of Vistra Energy

Notable Board Members:

Rob Kaplan, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs
Pascal Desroches, Senior Executive Vice President and CFO, AT&T
Ronit Ilan, Adjunct Faculty, Richland College
Multiple executives from Texas Instruments (reflecting 70-year partnership)

Board members serve three-year terms and provide strategic direction, decision-making, and guidance to the organization.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Community Impact Grants:

Access the Request for Proposals (RFP) through the online application portal at https://unitedwaydallas.smapply.io
Review the Information Sheet explaining the grant process
Attend virtual orientation sessions (highly recommended)
Complete application addressing how your program:
- Aligns with one or more Aspire United 2030 goals (education, income, health)
- Demonstrates measurable outcomes using Standard Forms of Measure
- Shows fiscal responsibility and sound management
- Serves the four-county service area
Submit application by deadline (next deadline: February 6, 2025 for 2025-2028 cycle)

Application Resources Provided:

Detailed RFP documentation
Standard Forms of Measure document for evaluating common metrics
Virtual orientation session with slide deck
Post-orientation FAQ sheet
United News e-newsletter with updates

Social Innovation Accelerator:

Separate annual application process
Contact United Way directly for current application information

Decision Timeline

Community Impact Grants: Decisions made on a three-year cycle; specific timeline from application to award notification not publicly disclosed
Evaluation Process: Applications reviewed by "highly skilled and experienced committee of community volunteers"
Organizations can expect site visits as part of the evaluation process
Feedback provided to all applicants regardless of outcome

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, United Way awarded 310 grants in 2023 and describes the process as "competitive." The organization partners with 144 organizations in their current three-year Community Impact Grant cycle, indicating that dozens of organizations are funded each cycle, but the ratio of applications to awards is not published.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations not initially selected may reapply. According to United Way's FAQs: "Our strategy panels and staff provide feedback to all agencies based on the evaluation of their program(s), enabling them to be more competitive going forward."

Feedback is provided to unsuccessful applicants
No waiting period specified between applications
Organizations are encouraged to incorporate feedback to strengthen future applications
The three-year grant cycle means new opportunities arise every three years for Community Impact Grants

Application Success Factors

What United Way Looks For

United Way makes investment decisions based on three core criteria:

Fiscal Responsibility: Sound financial management and stewardship
Sound Management: Effective organizational operations and governance
Measurable Results: Data-driven outcomes aligned with their evaluation frameworks

Alignment with Aspire United 2030

Organizations must demonstrate clear alignment with at least one of the three impact areas (education, income, health) and show how their program contributes to the specific 2030 goals:

Increasing third-grade reading proficiency by 50%
Increasing young adults earning living wages by 20%
Increasing health insurance access to 96% of North Texans

Evaluation and Measurement

United Way requires organizations to use their Standard Forms of Measure for evaluating outcomes
Partnership with Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) to track progress
Ongoing oversight of fiscal policies and program outcomes is part of the grant process
Organizations must pass Stewardship Report requirements annually

Geographic Concentration

Programs must concentrate efforts and services within the four-county service area. United Way seeks organizations that are "best positioned to help meet community goals" in Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, and southern Denton counties.

Demonstrated Community Impact

United Way partners with "organizations, entrepreneurs and grassroots groups that are best positioned to help meet community goals, using their expertise and resources to identify the greatest needs." They look for organizations that are "driving meaningful change" and addressing "important issues in our community."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Three-year funding cycles provide stability: Community Impact Grants are awarded every three years with multi-year commitments, so successful applications can result in sustained funding relationships.
Data and measurement are critical: United Way requires specific outcome metrics using their Standard Forms of Measure. Applications must demonstrate ability to track and report measurable results aligned with Aspire United 2030 goals.
Attend orientation sessions: United Way provides extensive applicant resources including virtual orientations, FAQs, and detailed RFP documents. Use these resources to understand their evaluation framework.
Alignment with 2030 goals is non-negotiable: Every program must clearly connect to at least one of the three specific, quantifiable Aspire United 2030 goals. Generic alignment with "education" or "health" is insufficient.
Feedback is available for unsuccessful applicants: United Way provides feedback to strengthen future applications, and organizations are encouraged to reapply incorporating this guidance.
Geographic focus matters: Your program must serve Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, or southern Denton counties. Regional or statewide programs may need to articulate how they concentrate impact in this specific area.
Contact the grants team early: Cathy Lee and her team are available to answer questions throughout the process. Don't hesitate to reach out at clee@unitedwaydallas.org for clarification.

References

Information accessed December 2024